My Poem

For the Poetry Out Loud competition, I selected the poem "A Dream Within A Dream", by Edgar Allen Poe. I have enjoyed and felt connection to a great amount of Poe's poetry, and this poem is no exception. Stylistically, I find that there is wonderful grace and flow to the writing. Every two lines rhyme, and yet the rhyming does not seem forced. Each line seems to fit perfectly, and feels just right, whether read on paper or out loud. In addition, on a different level, the poem brings back many emotions and memories from my past, and I feel somehow both nostalgic and peaceful when I read it. It reminds me of saying goodbye to past friends that I won't see much of again, and of myself, wistful, in deep thought about life. This is most likely because the poem itself deals with these concepts. The very first two lines, "Take this kiss upon the brow!", and "And in parting from you now" introduce the sadness of goodbyes. Also, throughout the poem, there is evidence of thoughtfulness and pondering, about the nature of life.

When I recite "A Dream Within A Dream" aloud, I hope to convey, through my performance, what it makes me think of and feel inside. Firstly, I will try to communicate the wistful nature of the poem through voice and articulation. I aim to speak in a slow, thoughtful manner, especially in the first stanza. I could also use a questioning facial expression to enhance this feeling. In progression into the second stanza, I will use a small amount of gesturing with one hand, in lines such as "And I hold within my hand." Through both facial expression and voicing, I could also try to convey a part of the anguish that is present later in the poem. While reading the very end, I will finally return to the expression of the contemplative feel that I experience when I read it to myself. Hopefully, after reciting the poem, I will gain greater understanding of and a new perspective on both the poem and life itself.

The poem can be found here:  http://poetryoutloud.org/poems/poem.html?id=237388

5 Part Paragraph Developments (Extra Credit)

In my previous post on 5 Part Paragraphs, the skills that I aimed to improve upon in my next paragraph were mainly the removal of plot summary from commentary and the brainstorming of ideas prior to the actual writing process. For the first paragraph that I wrote, I felt somewhat restricted for ideas during the writing, and one of the sentences was borderline plot summary. On reflection of my second paragraph, I recall scanning my commentary thoroughly with a eye for plot summary, in the pre-write and both drafts, a technique that I had not thought to use previously. As a result, my commentary sentences contained much more thoughtful ideas with deeper meaning; this was a result of my careful consideration. In regards to the brainstorming, at first, it seemed as though I would have the same problem as before, for I could not think of any ideas to use for my main points and commentary. However, I then had the idea to map out my most basic thoughts on paper without modification and refinement, and from there add and incorporate them into the paragraph gradually. This worked much more effectively than the methods for brainstorming that I had used in my first paragraph and the former part of the my second paragraph, and enabled to write and think more freely.

Poetry Out Loud

Part 1: Website Cruising

Poems
1) Confessions by Robert Browning
2) Alone by Edgar Allen Poe
3) Break of Day in the Trenches by Isaac Rosenberg
4) A Locked House by W. D. Snodgrass;
Famous by Naomi Shihab Nye

Part 2: What I Thought

Of the five poems that I chose to list, my favourites were Alone and A Locked House. These two rhymed, but not in a forced way, and so had a pleasant flow. In addition, both gave me something to think about, and had meaning beyond what was literally stated. I had no reason to dislike any of the poems, as all five were of good quality and direction. However I felt less connection with Confessions, and did not find as much significance in meaning for it as the others. I would probably be most interested in studying and working further with Edgar Allen Poe's Alone, as it flowed well and left much to be interpreted and contemplated. It was also of an appropriate length to be memorized and recited. In terms of personal connection, this poem reminded me of how I sometimes feel. It well captured the essence of my imagination and emotions of myself in wistful thought.

Part 3: Scoring Criteria

In regards to the scoring criteria, I think that I will find the sections of "Level of Difficulty", and "Dramatic Appropriateness" to be the most easy to follow and score well in. To begin with, the former of these categories applies quite well to the poem that I have chosen. Throughout, it has a moderation of complexity of diction and syntax, as well as shifts in tone and mood. In regards to the second category, I find enjoyment in oral interpretation, and trying to change inflection and enunciation to fit what I am reading. Though sometimes in public speech I rush what I am saying, I shall practice adequately to utilize dramatics to a level that satisfies me.

Part 4: Videos

The first video that I chose was that by Stanley Andrew Jackson, who recited the poem "Write on the Steps of Puerto Rican Harlem" by Gregory Corso. I found it a successful performance mainly in how Jackson accompanied the poem with both gestures, of the entire body, and pausing and inflection. In addition, he spoke in a voice that conveyed knowledge of the theme of the poem, in its contemplating nature and its articulation. Above all, his recitation was as if he were the author of the poem, which greatly enhanced the performance. The second was of Jackson Hille's performance of "Forgetfullness" by Billy Collins. The greatest strength of his performance is his voicing and articulation. He spoke, for the entirety of the poem, with  an almost sarcastic tone, which helped to embolden the meaning of the poem. His pausing, articulation, and voicing all add great depth to the poem. The one point that I would criticize him on is his ending. It did not hold the conclusive finality that I would have liked to hear.

Part 5: Summary

For my memorization, I most likely will recite "A Dream Within A Dream" by Edgar Allan Poe. I connect well with many of Poe's poems, as I appreciate both their flow and style and their more deeper and subtle meanings, and this is no exception. I think that with proper preparation, my performance of this poem will be one that I can enjoy.